Energy Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) sent the long-awaited draft of the new Electricity Industry Act (ElWG) for review on Friday. The aim is to ensure the “infrastructure for the energy transition”, expand the “rights to self-supply with electricity” and create “more flexible network access”, as the ministry announced.
Specifically, regional distribution network operators will be required to submit ten-year expansion plans in the future. The regulatory authority must approve this. This would force operators to “plan actively and proactively”.
The draft also stipulates that suppliers can no longer be prevented from participating in energy communities. Contracts under which the entire energy requirement during the term is to be covered exclusively by one supplier should no longer be possible.
Transparency when feeding in
More flexibility is needed so that solar and wind power plants can be connected to the grid more quickly. According to the draft, if the operator of a photovoltaic system wants to feed electricity into the grid, this must be possible in the future over a certain period of time – “even if 100 percent feed-in cannot be guaranteed at all times.” The publication of available network capacities is intended to bring more transparency.
The expansion of the scope of direct lines between the generation plant and consumers is also planned.
The review period lasts six weeks. Because the issue of energy in Austria is a state matter, the ElWG needs a two-thirds majority in the National Council.
“Modern and efficient power grids are essential for the energy transition,” said Gewessler. Better rules for expansion are being created. According to Economics Minister Martin Kocher (VP), with the start of the assessment, a working group made up of the responsible ministries and social partners will be set up to develop a new model of basic services and social tariffs.
Oesterreichs Energie, the interest group for the e-industry, assesses “the clear step towards greater pricing of service compared to work in network tariffs and the definition of new market partners” as positive. Among other things, the extensive bundling of competencies in the regulatory authority is seen as critical.
The Chamber of Labor calls for legal certainty when it comes to changes in electricity prices. Energy suppliers would have to justify price increases precisely and comprehensibly.
The Austrian Renewable Energy Association welcomed the proposal. Renewable energies are still exposed to numerous obstacles when using the grid. IG Wind was “delighted” that the draft was “finally” there. The Federal Association of Photovoltaic Austria welcomed the draft. But there is still “room for optimization”.
